Frankenstein to Star Wars - Best 'Genre' by Decade - 60's

Greetings, film fans! Please remember that this list doesn’t pretend to
be exhaustive; we’re offering some of our takes, and we invite you to
chime in with some of yours.

For me, the 60s genre film has one entry that towers above the rest for cultural importance. Granted, films like The Birds and Psycho and Rosemary’s Baby
are brilliant classics. However, George Romero forged an entirely new
subgenre on a limited budget and its boundless impact. On another note,
in the interest of time and space, we’re going to try avoid repeating
certain themes (we love the Japanese giant monster flicks, and there
were a TON in the ‘60s, but we’re going to let the bulk of them slide
for now).

The big winner?

Night of the Living Dead (1968): George A. Romero introduced
himself to the horror world with this black-and-white spear of icy
darkness. Redefining horror and revolutionizing zombie films (which
originally relied on the Haitian motifs), Night of the Living Dead
begins simply and builds to a horrifying climax. Entire passages have
been stolen outright for later films, but you still see the originality
in what Romero is attempting to accomplish. The movie is an exercise in
taboo-busting, notably the graphic cannibalization scenes and the
trowel-powered murder of a mother by her undead child. Moments of
cultural fission erupt throughout, as the overhead shots of armed
volunteers clearing zombie-infested fields evoked images of news
footage from Vietnam (remember, 1968 was the year of the surprising Tet
Offensive). Romero would go on to do four more living dead films: Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead and Diary of the Dead.

Point of cultural clarification: Romero and his Night
co-writer John Russo “share” the brand launched by the film. The two
disagreed over how to pursue sequels, so each has gone on to do their
own zombie work. Romero’s works simply use “the Dead” in the titles,
whereas Russo’s employ “Living Dead”. Therefore, the first Return of the Living Dead came from Russo, but is not part of the Romero canon.

And the rest?
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): Is there really anything more to be said about this film that hasn’t already been said? A landmark in all ways, 2001
demonstrated that, in a time of rubber suits and bug-eyed aliens,
science fiction on the screen could be used to tell an epic story with
depth. Even though some viewers find the ending sequences impenetrable,
this is an amazing feat of filmmaking. In total, the film was nominated
for four Oscars, receiving one for Visual Effects.
The Birds (1963): Two words: Alfred Hitchcock. The man who
basically defined suspense throughout the decade used a creepy story by
Daphne DuMaurier (and scripted by Evan Hunter a.k.a. Ed McBain) to
crank up this firecracker of avian terror. The cast is filled with
familiar names (Jessica Tandy, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, even a
very young Morgan Brittany) and the direction is spectacular. It's
enough to put you off pet shops.
The Haunting (1963): Not to be confused with the recent bad
remake, the Robert Wise-directed ultimate haunted house party came from
Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. Featuring some
all-time chilling scenes, all of which are based in pure psychological
fear, the film also boasts an awesome cast in Claire Bloom, Julie
Harris, Russ Tamblyn and Richard Johnson. Whatever walks in Hill House
may walk alone; see this movie, and you won't want to sleep that way.
(You should read the novel as well; it’s good for you.)
Planet of the Apes (1968): Though perhaps more revered today for Charlton Heston’s marvelously over-the-top line readings, Planet of the Apes
is another classic with one of the greatest, and most imitated, twist
endings on film. Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle (who also wrote The Bridger Over the River Kwai), Apes
tells the stories of astronauts marooned on an planet where
highly-evolved apes rule. Of course, you know the rest. The film
received two Oscar nominations and an Honorary Oscar: Outstanding
Achievement in Make-Up for John Chambers.
The Masque of the Red Death (1964): Edgar Allan Poe was the
first scary author I read as a child. Roger Corman also found the
inspiration from the poor, doomed writer to make some of the best
movies of his career. Teaming up with the always fantastic Vincent
Price as Prospero, Corman crafted this colorful allegory into a fine
picture.
Psycho (1960): Alfred Hitchcock. Anthony Perkins as Norman
Bates. Janet Leigh in the shower. What else really needs to be said?
Perhaps horror's finest scene in the 1960s (maybe ever)? The screenplay
by Joseph Stefano came from Robert Bloch's novel, itself said to have
been based on the true-life case of serial killer Ed Gein (also an
inspiration for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Three on a Meathook, among others).
The Raven (1963): Another Roger Corman go-round with Poe
material, and this time Richard Matheson writes the screenplay. Even
with that high-class pedigree, Corman has actors Vincent Price, Peter
Lorre and Boris Karloff in his corner. And he makes a comedy! But what
a comedy. The Raven stands out as an incredibly fun movie, highlighted
by a wizard's duel that really only has a rival in the Merlin-Mad
Madame Mim showdown from Disney's The Sword in the Stone (yeah, there are some good wizard-vs.-wizard bits in the LOTR and Potter films, but come on!).
Rosemary's Baby (1968): Stephen King noted in Danse Macabre
that this was one of the few films that is so close to the book it was
based on, that you almost don't need to read it. We tend to agree with
him; Roman Polanski's adaptation of Ira Levin's corker is amazingly
accurate. Mia Farrow is believably naive as Rosemary, a young woman who
is pregnant . . . with something. This film is so creepy that even
Anton LaVey has a cameo (seriously). Not to be viewed by Lamaze classes.
Alphaville (1965): Apart from lending the performers of “Forever Young” their name, Alphaville marked an important excursion into science-fiction by French “New Wave” director Jean-Luc Godard. A “genre-bender”, Alphaville
uses elements of both traditional sci-fi and film noir. Actor Eddie
Constantine, well-known abroad for playing agent Lemmy Caution in a
number of films, was employed to play Caution as Alphaville’s
lead. Caution has a multi-level mission in the film, eventually pitting
him against Alpha-60, the artificial intelligence that controls
Alphaville. It’s an extremely interesting take, offering notions that
have inspired homage from subsequent films (like Dark City).
And now, it’s to you. What else will you vote for? Quartermass and the Pit?. The Time Machine? Let’s hear it.
Previously:Frankenstein to Star Wars, Best 'Genre' per Decade - 50'sFrankenstein to Star Wars, Best 'Genre' per Decade - 40'sFrankenstein to Star Wars, Best 'Genre' per Decade - 30's